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Mauritius: Visa Exemption for Mauritians Traveling to Russia and Indonesia for Short Stays

PRESS RELEASE

PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, April 14, 2016 (Government of Maritius) -- Mauritian citizens travelling to Russia and Indonesia for short stays will henceforth be exempted of visa. These developments are extremely useful to develop economic exchanges and strengthen our diplomatic ties with both countries.

This statement was made yesterday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr. Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo, following the coming into force of the visa exemption agreements for short stays for Mauritians traveling to Russia and Indonesia.

It is to be recalled that an agreement was reached between the Government of Mauritius and the Government of the Russian Federation on 23 December 2015 on mutual abolition of visa and came into force on 10 April 2016. The agreement provides for visa exemption for citizens traveling the two countries for a maximum period of 60 days.

Mauritians who are holders of ordinary passports or diplomatic passports are thus exempted of visa while traveling to Russia. Likewise, Russian citizens who hold diplomatic, service and ordinary passports are exempted from visa when travelling to Mauritius. The total authorised stay for those people concerned should not exceed 90 days for each period of 180 days.

However, Mauritian and Russian citizens who undertake trips for job reasons, training in educational institutions, or for residential purposes are required to obtain the necessary visas according to the laws of the country.

As regards to Indonesia, the visa waiver is in force since March 10, according to a presidential decree of the Republic of Indonesia signed on March 2, 2016. The decree is a unilateral measure taken by the Indonesian authorities regarding the abolition of visas for 169 countries, including Mauritius.

The exemption applies to stays of up to a maximum duration of 30 days and for journeys for official purposes, business, tourism, social and family visit and transit. Holders of ordinary, official and diplomatic passports are benefiting from this exemption.